Bmeandering

Bmeandering

Sunday, April 17, 2011

School and the Psalm of the Week



This was a good week at school in many ways.

I stood up to the rudeness of the young fellow English teacher,
telling her that I was not going to work with her
if she continued to talk to me rudely.

She momentarily bristled.
I stood my ground
letting her know I was not going to scold her or run to others;
I was simply going to remove myself from working with her.

Eventually the principal would wonder; she knew that,
and she also knew that since she has talked rudely to him
he would look to her first as the problem.

He also knows that if I've done something wrong and am called into his office,
I will 'confess'.  I will not lie or sidestep.
I will admit when I'm wrong and am open to constructive criticism.
I am one of the few in our school who is like this.

Her treatment became much more respectful
and my week was shaping up to be a good one.

Then Friday came.
Second period.
The "bad boy club."

They behaved and did their work well,
so I gave the class five minutes of free time.
I watched these particular boys closely as I sat with a group of girls.
They were in a far corner talking.

But apparently one had come up to the table behind me to get a Kleenex and blow his nose.
I didn't even realize anyone was there; I was listening so intently to a girl.
Until ------
I felt hands caressing my head and roving through the strands of my hair.

I jumped up and whirled around in record speed.
My right arm was raised and my hand was a fist ready to strike.
(We legally have one reactive punch, and that's what it would have been).

I stopped the fist in mid-air.
The words hissed out of me.
Something like:
Don't you ever touch me!  Keep your hands off me!
You are NEVER to touch me!
You get the drift.

His buddies in the far corner had their mouths open and their eyes wide.
The girls were shuddering and had horrified expressions on their face.
(This guy is repulsive in that his thoughts are filthy as in perverted not dirty as in hormonal).

It did not help matters that he had a leering grin on his face when I first turned round.
That changed to being a bit surprised at seeing my fist
and my aggressive stance and attitude.
He put both hands palms up in front of himself
signifying surrender.

I told him to get out of my room.
He did; then the bell rang.

The principal was not there.
A referral slip with a separate letter awaits him Monday morning.

That's all I will say for now.

Oh, I guess maybe one more statement: I have been in more danger
here in this tiny country school than I ever was in the huge urban one.

Here's the Psalm of the Week.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.



I will say of the Lord,
He is my refuge and my fortress; my God is Him will I trust.



Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,
and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with His feathers,
and under His wings shalt thee trust:
His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.


Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;

nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

A thousand shall fall at thy side,
and ten thousand at thy right hand;

but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see
the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the Lord,
which is my refuge,
even the most High, thy habitation;



There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For He shall give His angels charge over thee,
to keep thee in all thy ways.


They shall bear thee up in their hands,
lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thous shalt tread upon the lion and adder:
the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon Me,
therefore will I deliver him;
I will set him on high,
because he hath known My name.

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him:
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him,
and honour him.


With long life will I satisfy him,
and shew him my salvation.

Psalm 91: 1 -16


I guess you can figure out why these verses appealed to me this week!

The last photo is of my dad getting read to perform his last ministerial task:
the baptism of two of his grandchildren and his daughter-in-law.
My dad lived a long life and was always grateful for God's salvation.
He taught me that salvation,
so I thought this photo appropriate.

I ran from God for a little while this weekend,
so this post is late.
But I'm back in His Arms.

Blessings to you all.

8 comments:

  1. HI Beth, Sounds like you are in a school where discipline isn't handled right (by the hierarchy)----when it comes to student behavior AND teacher behavior... Can't something be done to make your job more pleasant? It's bad enough to have problems with students --but it's even worse to have problems with other teachers... I am so sorry for what you go through. I truly don't know how you do it...

    Glad the week ended better --and hope next week is even better.

    Love the Psalm. God will take care of us--if we just ask!
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  2. Ewww! But love the last picture!

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  3. I will respond to Betsy's comment here. The principal before this one, caused a lot of problems with staff, and her last two years discipline was non-existent. I honestly didn't see how I could last there.
    Then this man came along who had taught there and had been football coach and athletic director. He established discipline immediately, much to the dismay of those students who had liked the previous principal's lack of discipline. He gave us our halls back from the group of bullies who intimated the women teachers as much as other students.
    He has an open door to the staff and he does listen.
    He backs his staff and he will not tolerate a student being disrespectful or insubordinate to a teacher. He enforces all the rules and gives out the appropriate consequences according to the student handbook. He makes the student read the rule and the consequence aloud.
    However, this discipline is not consistent throughout the district and therein lies the problem. Our biggest problems are the freshmen and I have most of them minus those requiring special services.
    He is trying and is making progress both with students and staff. He's come down on that English teacher before and if I told him what she had said to me, he'd have her in his office.
    But that was not the way to handle it.
    The student who 'touched' me is open enrollment. The principal has been considering sending him back to the school district in which he lives. I dare say this situation will convince him. I imagine he will allow the boy to finish the year here, but he will be punished as much as the handbook allows.

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  4. It's difficult to know what to say, Beth ... I'm glad you have the strength of character to stand up to these people. And that you have the Lord to sustain you.

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  5. i am glad to hear that the present principal is working on taking back what was lost by the principle before him. also, that you are working right along with him.

    i think your post is right on time. it kind of seems like the week ends as well as begins on sundays. the giving over and renewal in this day.

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  6. I admire your strength and courage to continue in that job. I taught for over 30 years but now I am so glad that I,m retired. I must admit I didn't have too many behaviour problems and they were primary school kids. I don't think I could have managed high school.

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  7. Hi Beth, Thanks for the update... Glad things are better ---and hope they continue to get better and better...We are in a MESS in this country I think with kids' behavior these days. It truly did not used to be this bad...

    It's not just the schools. Mostly it is coming from the homes where these kids live. There's no discipline in the home these days --so kids are not taught respect... Scary...

    Thanks again.. Hang in there.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  8. How did I miss this post??? Have you ever read "Christy?" This sounds like a scene right out of that book.

    Loved the way you wove your story of trust, with photo and verse...

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